Teresa Torres Continuous Discovery Prep

Prepare product teams for customer discovery sessions using Teresa Torres customer interview prep principles. Frame specific story prompts, assign trio roles, and set up synthesis templates.

5 time blocks, 20 minutes in total.

Time blocks

Outcome and Opportunity Review: 5 min
Check the Opportunity Solution Tree to clarify what you need to learn
Story Prompt Formulation: 5 min
Write a prompt asking for a specific past event rather than opinions
Team Role Assignment: 3 min
Designate one primary interviewer, note taker, and observer
Snapshot Template Setup: 4 min
Prepare a standardized form for quick post-interview synthesis
Final Alignment Check: 3 min
Confirm non-leading prompt phrasing with your product trios

About this routine

Teresa Torres customer interview prep centers on gathering authentic user stories rather than abstract preferences. In her book Continuous Discovery Habits, Torres emphasizes that product trios (product manager, product designer, and software engineer) should interview customers weekly to ground decisions in real evidence.

Preparation focuses on crafting prompts that trigger specific historical memories. Instead of asking customers what features they want, the team prepares questions that ask about the last time a specific event happened. Setting up roles beforehand prevents cross-talk and keeps the conversation focused.

By preparing a standardized snapshot template before entering the call, teams can rapidly synthesize findings immediately after the interview. Running this prep workflow ensures every continuous discovery session yields actionable opportunity insights.

Why this routine works

Prevents leading questions by pre-framing story prompts
Ensures clear roles for product manager, designer, and engineer
Speeds up post-interview synthesis with pre-formatted snapshots
Keeps discovery interviews tied directly to product opportunities

FAQ

What is Teresa Torres customer interview prep?

It is a structured preparation method created by author Teresa Torres to help product teams focus customer interviews on past stories instead of speculation.

Who should participate in continuous discovery interview prep?

The product trio, which includes the product manager, product designer, and lead software engineer.

How long does continuous discovery prep take?

This preparation workflow takes 20 minutes before a customer interview session.